I don't remember destroying my toys - although I did once shred a foam rubber puzzle. It was actually a pretty cool puzzle and I didn't get anymore of them after that. I had forgotten about that, but I had a destructive streak when I was mad. I guess I also remember throwing my piggy bank against the wall until it shattered. I was probably 5. After 5 or so, I think I took pretty good care of my toys.
Ellie has gone though a "drawing on toys" phase lately. Part of it, I know, is that her name has to be on any toy that she takes to school. Writing her name in permanent marker on her toys is like sacrilege to me (soooo ugly), but it doesn't bother her. So, we've had a few instances of her "writing her name" on various toys. She has also attempted to "decorate" a few horses and her AB Bitty Baby stroller. Like you, we mostly have washable markers so I haven't worried about it too much.
The times I talked to her about it, she responded that she wasn't "wrecking" her toys but was either writing her name or decorating. I decided that I don't have a problem with that. She is being respectful towards her toys, even if she's not doing it the way I would. So I don't bother her about it, although she hasn't done it in a while.
What I don't let her do is wreck, or intentionally damage her toys. To me, that crosses the (newly moved) respect line.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2009-01-07 02:05 pm (UTC)Ellie has gone though a "drawing on toys" phase lately. Part of it, I know, is that her name has to be on any toy that she takes to school. Writing her name in permanent marker on her toys is like sacrilege to me (soooo ugly), but it doesn't bother her. So, we've had a few instances of her "writing her name" on various toys. She has also attempted to "decorate" a few horses and her AB Bitty Baby stroller. Like you, we mostly have washable markers so I haven't worried about it too much.
The times I talked to her about it, she responded that she wasn't "wrecking" her toys but was either writing her name or decorating. I decided that I don't have a problem with that. She is being respectful towards her toys, even if she's not doing it the way I would. So I don't bother her about it, although she hasn't done it in a while.
What I don't let her do is wreck, or intentionally damage her toys. To me, that crosses the (newly moved) respect line.